East Devon sent a junior orienteering team to Hampshire to take part in the annual event ‘The Harvester’at Longmoor near Aldershot, writes Tess Stone.

The team comprised of Kit and Grey Grierson from Ottery, Joss Knight from Talaton, Jonty Eaton Hart from Payhembury and Ellie Stone from Colyton.

The race started at 2am in the morning and it was Grey Grierson who completed the first leg, a 7.5km course in a time of one hour and 20 minutes. Joss Knight was next, completing the second stage of 6km in 53 minutes.

Leg three was the responsibility of Jonty Eaton Hart who completed the 5km section in 47 minutes, this despite enduring trouble finding his first control, after which he completed a really good run.

Ellie Stone was next and, although it was just about light, she had very thick ‘dewy’ fog to contend with and as a result found a couple of controls challenging, but she managed to complete her 6km section in 64 minutes.

The last leg was down to Kit Grierson who had a mostly clean 8km course which he completed in a creditable 65 mins.

East Devon Juniors came seventh out of 34 competing teams, but were third junior team overall - a great achievement all round!

A special mention must go to Kit and Greys younger brother, Flurry, who stayed up all night to cheer and support each runner!

The juniors like to wear ‘war paint’ and so Peter Greirson made sure that the team stood out in the night!